Legend of Albert
by Sors
Summary: Albert's life before he became the Dragoon that he is today. Chapter 5 Wow... I updated! Go ahead smack me, or better review!
1. Birth

Note: I had a dream about writing this fic the other night and even though I still have a long ways to go on most of my other stuff I'm going have this replace Ride On Through The Night. I don't even remotely like that fic anymore and I plain to take it down in a week or so.  
  
B.M= Before Moon D.M= During Moon A.M= After Moon  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own Legend of Dragoon at all! This disclaimer applies to the entire fic! And if you really want one for every chapter too bad cause I'm so sick of these that I want to buy Legend of Dragoon!!!  
  
Legend of Albert  
  
Albert was born in the year of 26 B.M. under the aid of the Midwife Gilda who lived in Hoax. His birth was one of great sadness and joy for the people of Serdio. His mother Second Sacred Sister Asrel died not two days after his birth. It was because of this that Carlo couldn't even bring himself to see his son until almost a month later...  
  
Carlo began the slow walk up the stairs, he'd almost forgotten about the boy that had caused his precious Asrel's death. The maid might have killed him, and if not for Dole saying something at dinner, he'd never have noticed. Carlo smiled to himself, silly how things could slip your mind.  
  
But that was what those peasants and serfs were for! Kings couldn't baby-sit! Carlo laughed to himself as he walked up the stairs. He wondered if the child would look like him or Asrel more, if he had even bothered to name the child?  
  
"Your majesty! I-I wasn't ware you were coming to see him!" A young maid stumbled out of the way.  
  
"He's my son, is he not?" Carlo walked over to inspect what ever was in the cradle.  
  
Inside rapped in blankets was the young prince. He had hazel eyes like his mother, and little wispy stands of brown like him. Something in Carlo changed, he no longer laughed at how he had forgotten the child, now he was enraged. Enraged at himself for allowing something that was apart of him go forgotten. Carlo turned on the maid who backed away, "I want to see him tomorrow understand!?"  
  
"Y-yes my lord..."  
  
"Good," And Carlo walked back out of the room his temper in a fit.  
  
From below Dole watched his brother storm up the steps and sighed. Quietly he walked into the room where the child was sleeping and made apologies to the maid for his brothers actions. "Oh no, it's ok everyone knows you should have gotten the throne instead of him."  
  
"No, Carlo has it, that how everything works... Has the boy a name or did Carlo forget that too?" Dole asked looking in at the sleeping child.  
  
"Oh, Asrel named him Albert after her father."  
  
"Good, I'd hate to see what Carlo might call him." Dole nodded to the woman and stepped out of the room and headed down to the stables. He need to send a message to the other countries and tell them the boy was named Albert so Carlo couldn't have any say in that.  
  
Carlo stood in his room upstairs and began to burn all of the pictures he had of his late wife. He smiled as he did this, though no one knew why.  
  
The people who lived in Bale now knew that their ruler was truly insane and advisers took no time in using this. So it was that by the time Albert was five years of age the only reasonable conclusion as to why Albert hadn't become one of them was his fathers ability to become a different person when his son was near.  
  
Carlo was like a sweet loving father who couldn't help but be nice to everyone when his son was by him. He way also a tutor of sorts for his son, because he repeated advice that been given to him and never listened too, to his son.  
  
Another reason why Albert never became the awful ruler his father represented was that he spent little of his time in politics and much of it in books. The books he read were large and often confusing, but he took them straight to heart. He never skimmed over a word for a silent fear that he might miss something. In those books he read about previous Kings and other lands. He even read an old book about the end of the Dragoon Campaign, but it was quickly forgotten seeing as it was merely a fantasy story.  
  
"Albert?" The young boy looked up from the book in his hands about the Rulers of Mille Seseau.  
  
"Yes father?"  
  
"We're going to Tiberona next week, King Zior has asked that we come and visit him in Fletz."  
  
"Really?" The little brown hared boy lightened up.  
  
"Yes, I received the invitation today and though it best to tell you."  
  
"Thank you father!" Albert said cheerfully as Carlo walked out of the room with a smile on his face. It was just the chance Carlo needed to get Albert away from his brutal brother.  
  
Notes: Ok maybe only three pages long... but I think it's good. I'll try to do the next chapter by the end of this month or so, that could change seeing as all the other stuff I'm working on...  
  
Anyway, please review people and tell me what you think! 


	2. Joy

A/N: Ta! After a long wait I have put up another chapter! I hope you people like it! Oh and Aerena thanks for the web site! It's been a ton of help and I finally got the Italics down!  
  
*revised April 12 2003*  
  
Legend of Albert  
Albert watched as the ground passed beneath the carriage. He had never been outside of Bale before. It was so strange to be on a flat landscape. No mountains, no hills just flat land, dirt, rocks and grass. Then every so often he would see an old tree sticking out of the ground.  
  
His father had given him the right to name the horses. The larger white horses had been dubbed Epona and Rosmerta, and the blackies gotten Sirona and Nanto. When his father had asked where the names came from, he had responed books.  
  
"Your going to be the brightest King since Mogon, Albert!" Carlo had said to him. All of those around him nodded happily.  
  
Albert had smiled and blushed slightly at the kind words.  
  
***  
  
They were but one day from the Royal Capital of Tiberona. Feltz was said to be even more beautiful that Bale, for all of the homes were made out of a pure white stone. Then the castle had two large and graceful towers that appeared to be leaning due to their height.  
  
Albert had read all the books he could about the city before they left. How people talked, what they ate. But what intrigued him most was that the people had beliefs, not in a single god, but in the thousands of stars and all other heavenly bodies. They loved and worshipped the stars so much that they had created charts of every one, and even learned how to use the stars to see into a person's future.  
  
Carlo however had given him the most interesting piece of information yet. The princess Emille of Tiberona was but three short months younger than him. "What is she like father?" He asked.  
  
"I wouldn't know. It's been years since I was last in Tiberona. However I do know that her mother is a beautiful creature. Melinda has blue eyes and blond hair, almost as beautiful as yours. She was the daughter of a rich merchant in Lohan. He bought her a title of royalty and married Zior not long after."  
  
Albert nodded taking in the information and stock pilling it away.  
  
"You'd best be nice to the young lady Albert, she might end up your wife!" Carlo said with a good laugh.  
  
By the next day's morning Albert could smell the sea. The salty air reminding him of home, however the dry feel did not. He sighed as the beautiful white towers came into view. He hadn't been expecting to see them from so far away, but then they were said to be the highest human made towers in the world.  
  
"What do you think? Has Zior got things well set up for him here or what?" Carlo chuckled.  
  
Albert nodded lost in thoughts of amazement for the land.  
  
***  
  
With the sun just setting behind the castle when Albert took his first step into the Room of the Sun, Albert got his first look at Emille and her mother, Melinda. They were both very beautiful, however he couldn't say much for the man who sat between them. He was a little short, fat and had very piggish eyes. "Welcome Carlo! Welcome!" He boomed. However his cheerful attitude quickly diminished his bad looks.  
  
"Zior, my friend! Has life treated you well?" Carlo asked, with a pleased smile.  
  
"Never stopped! Is your brother with you Carlo? Or did you leave him behind again?" Albert smiled, but said nothing. After all Doel was by far a less pleasing person to be around.  
  
"He left on his own adventure!" Carlo said trying to hide his displeasure at being asked.  
  
"Ah! I'm sure your tired and hungry, the maids will show you round!" Zior said with another good laugh.  
  
As a maid turned to take Albert to his own room, Emille caught his eye and smiled.  
  
***  
  
It seem like hours till the feast was started to Albert. However the wait was nothing compared to the prayer before dinner. A man named Fester had been asked to recite The Holy Script of the Stars. Only after the man had finished were they so much as allowed to look at the food. It wasn't that Albert didn't enjoy learning about this Script, it was just that ones stomach can not always be as patient as asked.  
  
Once the meal had commenced Albert was hurried on to the Ball room. Which was really the Room of the Sun with decorations, but no one cared. It was there that he finally got to meet the kind Princess Emille.  
  
"Your Albert correct?" She asked politely approaching him.  
  
He nodded, "It is nice to meet you Princess Emille."  
  
"Thank you, Would you care to meet some of my friends?"  
  
"Of course," he responded following the young girl out of the room and into the hallway...  
  
A/N: Okay, I know they are only six or so.... but comon! They have been raised as royalty! So they've been trained to talk right and all... Anyway, review and tell me what you think! 


	3. Death

A/N: Well you know how it goes.... Don't own legend of Dragoon!!!!  
Legend Of Albert  
  
Carlo glanced at the two messengers from Bale, they were disappointing him with every word. "And S-sire..?"  
  
"Yes?" He couldn't help the aggravated tone in his voice.  
  
"We.. we have some news on Doel... Y-your majesty...."  
  
"Well? What has that fool be doing?" He growled.  
  
"He's... been gathering aid, people who said they would come and form an army under him..."  
  
"An... Army? You mean to say that while he's been out hunting monsters and what not.... He's been recruiting?"  
  
"Yes, yes my lord." The two messengers scrambled to their feet. "You should return my lord!"  
  
Carlo's arms crossed and he turned around to face the view of the ocean. "Go back and tell my advisors to raise the solders salaries by twenty."  
  
"Yes my lord."  
  
"Tell them I'll be back by the end of the month."  
  
"Of course my lord!" They waited for a moment then scrambled to their feet and headed back down to the stables.  
  
***  
  
"Pity..." Albert muttered to himself as the carriages carried him back to Bale. He had been having such a wonderful time in Tiberona, with Emille and all of her friends... "To think that I locked my self away in those books for all those years...?"  
  
"A waste..." he said under his breath so his father wouldn't hear.  
  
When I get home, he thought, I'm going to find friends! Really what was I thinking placing myself in all those books? How much time have I wasted reading about things no one else would ever care for? Dear Soa, how did you let me venture into a library?  
  
***  
  
Albert's journey for friends would have gone poorly if not for one small accident.  
  
Lavits, the only child of the greatest knight in all of Basil, had been invited one day to come with his father and visit the castle. It was the young blonde's fifth birthday, and seeing as his father was one of the most amazing knights, strings were quickly pulled.  
  
Albert was invited to the festivities that night on behalf of his father who was not attending. He had done his best to plot out what he would say, how he would act... However much of that rapidly went down the drain when he was brought down stairs.  
  
Carefully Albert approached the boy, who was only an inch shorter than himself. "Hello." He said with a polite nod.  
  
Lavits looked at him for a moment, pausing in thought. "Your... Albert?"  
  
"Yes." As best he could he tried to make his voice sound undemanding, more causal.  
  
"Hey! Your not so bad!" Called out one of the kids next the blond.  
  
"Oh Albert, I didn't know you were coming." Said one of the ministers. "Well come on all of you." He said as he began to lead the group on a tour of the castle.  
  
For a minute the group stood there, and suddenly Lavits spoke. "Well come on." He turned and looked straight at Albert for a moment and then.... "Did you want to come with?"  
  
"Sure." Albert said smiling  
  
***  
  
It had taken almost a year for the Prince and the commoner to truly become friends. However once the time had passed. The few wonderful hours that they did spend together changed Albert for the better. It had always been a wonder to the people, that Albert had never held the hate of his father, or the spite of his uncle. Should they have known that Albert had such a kinda and generous friend, they might have understood and believed sooner in the young boy.  
  
Carlo had been out on a hunting trip with several of his knights and his son Albert who had suddenly decided to join. The trip had gone well even if there was few monsters to hunt. The sky had become over cast and some of the knights rode ahead to check the groups direction....  
  
Albert watched as a party of seven being lead by his Uncle Dole rose out of the darkness. Weapons out they headed at Carlo, the two knights who were left behind were quickly cut down to pieces. Carlo brought up his own spear and shoved it forward into one of the men, however he lost his only weapon in the process.  
  
Dole rode over and grabbed the rains of the horse Carlo had been riding. Albert saw a look of joy and triumph come over him. He hefted his large sword up to level and plunged it deep into Carlo's heart. With the smallest thunk Carlo hit the ground.  
  
Limply Albert crawled off of his horse. The men Dole had brought had not noticed him till that moment, quickly they brought up their bows to kill him too.  
  
Dole yelled something to them, but Albert's ears would not work, all he could think, all he could see was his father. His father dyed red with blood.  
  
The men turned away and rose off into the darkness from which they had come. Albert's own horse wandering after them.  
  
He stood there in the darkness, looking at the shine of his father's blood till the Knights who had gane ahead came back and found him. At first they could do not but stare, and then they saw Albert who was still alive. Hurryiedly they gather up the child and carried him off.  
A/N: Hm.... Depressing chapter that was... -.- Poor little Albert, having to see his dady die.... Dear Soa I'm a horrible little person. In other news, I really happy to be back writing again! WHOO Month long break! Thank you for all your understanding, and Emails! I'll have the next chpaters on other fics up in a few days! Oh and I've become a Furcadia adict as well. ^.^; 


	4. Despair

A/N: Don't own Legend of Dragoon, reading this fic while one any thing might cause stuff to happen. You have been warned.  
  
Legend of Albert  
  
"Cariron, could you take Albert his food?" Asked one of the chefs in the kitchen.  
  
"Of course." She gave him a slight nod of the head, and grabbed the plate. She carried it up several flights of stairs, past some conversing men in the throne room and into Albert's bed room. The was still sitting much the same way he had yesterday. However the food she had brought him last night...  
  
"Albert? Why didn't you eat your dinner?" She scolded him.  
  
"I wasn't hungry." He replied, in monotone.  
  
"Well you must be hungry by now, so here is your breakfast." She answered kindly.  
  
"I'm not.... I can't eat." He said.  
  
"Something wrong?" She asked. "Are you sick?"  
  
"No...." Then he slumped back against the side of the window seat.  
  
She looked into his face, and could see how deathly pale he was. She could see his hands which where looked to have been carved out of porcelain. The clothes suddenly looked so large for him, as if he lost far to much weight.  
  
"I haven't been hungry for days...... Just, threw it out the window...." He blinked and looked back out the window, leaving the maid to go rushing out the door, and fleeing down the stairs.  
  
"Minister Noish! Minister!!" Called out Cariron, her face creamed with sweat.  
  
"What is it?!" He asked hurrying over towards her in the hall.  
  
"Tis... Albert, he told me he wont eat! Says he isn't hungry, been like this for days! But I thought he was, but he was throwing it out h-his window! The boy's starving himself! Wont eat he tells me!"  
  
Noish patted the crying girl on the head. "I'll speak to his highness." He told her calmly. Albert was a boy whom one could reason with, there was no need for worry.  
  
Noish proceed up the front stairs, into the throne room, and back to the large and decorated room in which Albert spent most of his time. He could see the boy sitting on a window seat. The fabric on seat had been dyed and then twisted green to created a earthy look. Albert's own cloak matched well with the colors, and except for the golden band that hung around his shoulder length hair, one would have thought him no better than a merchant's child.  
  
"Albert." He said, walking over to sit with the boy.  
  
Albert did respond.  
  
"Albert?" He asked taking the seat and leaning over to see the child's face. It was blank, and in the sunlight that was shinning through the window looked deathly pale. Noish reached his own hand out to grab the boy on the should, however Albert turned at the last moment.  
  
"Don't." He said, and conned to look out at the golden sun lit world.  
  
"You have to eat Albert." He said, going directly to the point.  
  
"I'm not hungry." He said.  
  
"The maid tell me you haven't eat in days. You must eat Albert." This time the boy said nothing, he simply stared out the window.  
  
Noish sat beside him, "You want to explain?" He asked simply.  
  
"My father is dead......." And it was all the explanation that one could ever need. Noish stood, and nodded to the king, then turned and went out the door.  
  
On the outside Albert appeared blank, and fearful. His expression like that of the deer he had seen his father kill while they had been out hunting.  
  
With him was the tortured soul, a creature of a deep and black mass, one that couldn't see beyond life, or death. Some sick demon that rotted in the mass of confusion. As Albert looked down at his hands he could still see his father's blood smeared across them, even though it had long ago been washed away.  
  
He turned and looked back out the window, and let his eyes stare out. He didn't see anything, be it day or night. He didn't feel anything, or need anything, he was hollow. A shell with out life, he had lost his life long ago, and soon he would lose his body too.  
  
He could just fade away, turn to into the dust from which life rose and fell.  
  
Outside the heaven which Albert hid in voices where yelling. The maid and the minister were arguing. Telling each other that the only way for Albert to get better was through their own methods. Yelling and hissing, the whole castle would be clamoring to voice their opinion in a day... But inside his heaven Albert would never hear a word, because after Noish had left, no one had entered the room themselves.  
  
Out on the prairie of Serdio Dole was creating his own country, Greham was receiving word that Dole had a power which could rule another, and Servi was leaving for the front. Lavits was saying farewell to his father, and Dart was entering Seles for the first time. Meru was starting her new career in Lohan as a waitress at a large Inn and Bar. Kongol was taking his first trip into human lands, and Miranda was being adopted by Theresea.  
  
The world's wheels where spinning once again, the future was spinning into reality, and in Velweb Diaz was sitting on his throne, preaching to all who would listen about the 108th species, and the utopia it would bring.  
  
A/N: I felt deep today. Extremely deep, so if this chapter is a lot, sorry. @.@ Arg, I think that sleepovers do something to my brain.... Hm, anyway please review. 


	5. Worry

A/N: Don't own LOD at all, and go eat some cheese nips if your hungry!  
  
Legend of Albert  
  
Noish was pacing about outside of Albert's room, he was worried. Today Albert had at least managed to sip down a small bowl of soup but he hadn't eaten anything but that since Friday. The maid who had been with him since he was two years old had quit thinking that they should be forcing food down the boy's throat. Noish was starting to wonder if that would be a better idea then trying to wait for the boy to recover from his lost.  
The death of Albert's father Carlo had shook the boy badly. While Carlo had never managed to love anyone else in his life he had certainly loved his son with a strange passion. Noish had constantly lived in fear that Albert would turn into the same sort of demon which his father was. So in a way the death had been a blessing to everyone, but now they were faced with loosing such a smart and sensible King.  
Noish paced quicker, his steps now almost pounding on the floor. The back of his purple robes was already rot with worn from his walking, and one of maids worried for across the hall that soon there would be nothing left of the silky fabric.  
A messenger came dashing up the steps, his feet leaping with each bound.  
"Sir! A message from Deningrad!" The red cloaked man said with a bow, holding out the white pearly letter in his black gloved hands.  
"Thank you Binard." Noish replied opening the letter carefully cracking the seal. He read through the lengthy page of writing and stared. Then with urgency he reread the paper and looked across at the maids.  
The turned to him with curious worried looks. He turned away and opened Albert's door closing it firmly.  
"I thought I said I wanted to be left alone." Albert stated staring out the window.  
"There has been a crisis in Mille Seseau." Noish stated holding the paper out to Albert, "It requires immediate attention."  
Albert looked over slowly and plucked the paper from Noish's hands.  
It read:  
  
_ Eighteen days ago we were attacked by the Black Monster, the small village of Neet was completely destroyed. To our knowledge only two people were noted to have survived; the first a young girl named Luanana who is suffering blindness, the second a young man who left our boarders with out giving forth his name. We are aware that this man might indeed be the monster, so we ask that you keep look out for him. His picture and description are placed onto the back of this.  
My daughter is apparently the suspected Moon Child, I ask that should she need your aid that you would help her in anyway to protect her. As you Minster knows her twin is in residence in your small city of Seles. We ask that we be allowed to send troops to recollect her should her sister die.  
I pray for your father's dear soul, and hope that he reaches heaven.  
Queen Theresa_  
  
Albert looked it over again. "How many did they report died? And why was I not told of this earlier?"  
"I thought you to sick your majesty. They estimated over two thousand, all of the town was burned to ashes. I have already send troops north to aid in any short of recovery for the country."  
"Good, may I have some paper. I must write back to Theresa." Albert said.  
"Of course." Noish pulled a bottle of ink and some paper off the desk and handed them off to Albert who started to write.  
  
Only a few days had past before Albert began looking as if he was once again well. He had been informed only two days later that The princess had been hunted down at sea and her boat was destroyed. Although Albert had offered to return the twin who lived in Seles Queen Theresa refused saying something about adopting two young girls.  
So the girl in Seles stayed and Albert was asked to visit Millie Seseau that next summer.  
  
But as Albert soon discovered, the peace of his mighty Kingdom had been destroyed. Already fights were breaking out all around Loan. Dole's men were attacking small towns and stealing what they could to make their new arising country stronger. It was said that a powerful and brutal man had become the keeper at Hellena, and that he was aligned with Dole.  
It was with the loss of Hellena that one of the most powerful Knights had come before Albert stating that they needed action.  
"Servi, Commander of the First Knighthood, M'lord." Stated Noish, as a tall blond hared man entered carrying a spear and smiling at the other knights in the room.  
Normally Albert wasn't let anywhere near the Knights, nor was he allowed to make such decisions about whether they would go to war. But Noish seemed to think it would be good to let Albert at least sit in on the meeting.  
"Albert, Noish." Servi said with a little bow. "I've been in formed that Dole is thinking of counter striking against us by using some sort of monster. It's only a rumor that he actually has knowledge of where and how to acquire such a monster... But if it could be used in war it might be very dangerous." Servi paused. "It is rumored that Dole has been trying, to capture a dragon from the east." The east was the known for many years as the dead mountains. The peaks were high enough to block clouds from passing them, which made them literally a desert. However it was well known that dragons live intermittently around the peak, and so too did they live beyond.  
"How would he even control it?" Noish asked.  
"We don't know, and apparently neither does Dole. He seems to think that he'll just encage it and let it loose, wait for it to destroy everything and then kill it himself."  
"I never knew that my uncle was such a fool." Albert murmered under his breath so that no one would hear him.  
"Has he sent anyone east yet?" Noish inquired.  
"Two groups, one is lead by a mercenary of whom I'm rather wary. However we've been watching them, and much to our surprise the Mercenary just abandoned his group near the sea north of Hellena. Were not sure if he went off to get a boat, or if he's scouting up our way to take a look at the break in the mountains." Servi paused. "We were unable to track him. However the other group left from west of Loan, we think they are going to try and sale south."  
"I see, anyone missing in the border patrol?"  
"No one. Although I have many suppositions about where he might be able to get through."  
"Where?" Noish asked walking back around to a table with a large map planted upon it. Little blue and red flags stuck out all over it, along with markings made with a special type of ink which would wash off the glass overtop of it.  
Servi skimmed the map and then picked up the pen. His first mark fell ontop one of the southern mountains near a small shrine. The second was ontop of the limestone caves and a third was right along the shore.  
"Your mad, no one could cross over that mountain, you said we have patrols out near the sea, and the limestone caves are well guarded at the entrance."  
"It's what I suspect. From what I've heard of this man... People have reported him disappearing, someone also told me that he was a very good swimmer. And anyone could cross over the mountains under where the cave is, you'd just need to be a very good climber."  
Noish stared. "Can't you get someone out there to look at it?"  
"I'm working on it already, I have Greham taking care of the caves, he's a good climber and I have people in boats out along the shore now. However near the shrine I can't get anyone because they're all afraid of some spirit."  
"Well then perhaps he'll stray from there too?"  
"I hope."  
Noish sighed, "Well then, see what you can do."  
"Of course." And with that Servi left with a polite smile to Albert.  
"Somehow I expected more..." Albert stated looking slightly disappointed.  
Noish patted him on the back and began to wipe off the marks on the glass.

A/N: Hope you enjoyed... I'm sorry for the wait, but lets face it I'm easily distracted by other things. Thank you too all who reviewed, this one of the few stories I have which has this many review with only 5 chapters... Makes me think that I should be doing more work with it then I am.

If the next chapter is not over 10 pages I promise to start stabbing myself. v.v'


	6. Friendship

Legend of Albert

Albert has been wanting to sneak out of the castle for a good week now. Lavits' seventh birthday was tonight, and Albert had finally come up with the perfect plan to escape.

First he'd be contacting Lavits using a pair of white curtains which he was going to hang up. Hopefully the maids wouldn't mind to much. Then he'd go down through his father's room which had a sort of slide installed into it for emergency escaping. He's come down that, sneak out the window in the room bellow. And then sneak along the back of the castle, jump over the short barrier hide behind it. Then once he hit town he'd be home free. Half the people in Bale wouldn't even recognize him up close.

Albert looked at the setting sun, Lavits had said he'd be out on his roof about this time, didn't he? He watched from his own window as he saw Lavits come out onto the roof of his house. Smiling Albert took down the green curtains carefully and then he stuck up the white ones. Looking back out, he saw Lavits jump up and down and then go ducking back inside his house.

He headed over and blew out his candle and quickly undressed from his shirt. Leaving his pants on, he crawled under his covers and fanned sleep. Two of the maids walked into the room, one patted him on the head.

"He's so sweet." One said in a whisper, and the duo left the room.

Albert lay there for a few more minutes. Foot steps from the guards outside passed on by. They wouldn't go back by his room for another good minute. He quickly sat up and threw on his shirt, and then compiled his hair into a fairly nice mass at the nape of his neck. He picked up his shoes, and ducked out into the throne room. Scampering across the floor he thought he saw a dark shape on the other side of the room, for a moment he paused. But as he looked out from behind the chair he saw no one there. He hurried along further and quickly jammed a small key into the lock in his father's room. He ducked inside and relocked the door.

Slipping around the other side of the fireplace he pushed a little door open and slid down. Popping out the other end of the side he rushed over to the window, and then with a trick that he had seen one of the guards do he clicked a little trigger in the corner of the window. Sitting the glass neatly against the wall he jumped through the window. Luckily he managed to land on his feet, but the good fifteen foot drop left his legs stinging.

Slipping up against the wall he slid along it till he was close enough to the wall. He rushed over and jumped behind it.

It was a good thing that an, almost 8 year old, was small. For otherwise he wouldn't have been able to hide behind the tiny wall. Finally he slipped around the final corner, and hurried up to Lavits' door. He didn't even have to knock. The door opened and Lavits towed him into the room, "Common, upstairs before my mum comes down." He said quickly under his breath, while pulling him up the stairs.

They reached the first room at the top of the steps. There was two other boys inside, both pretending to be sleeping underneath large covers. Lavits dragged some more covers out of the corner for Albert and him to sit upon. One of the boys cracked his eyes open, and smiled.

"Nice to meetcha." He said quietly, shaking Albert's hand thoroughly. He had dark black hair which was almost completely shaved off. He looked to be a good two years older then Lavits. He didn't wear any shirt, however he had on a pair of black pants which were matched well with his black gloves. It was easy for Albert to guess who's son he was for, for his slightly pointy cheeks and ears gave him away for being Rinmal head of the Second Knighthood's son. "The name's Kaiser."

"Hello." Albert said letting his arm be shaken thoroughly.

The other boy with red blond hair peeked an eye open. He sat up quickly, he wore a light blue shirt with little white bands around the edges. Albert didn't have much of an idea who's son he was, but he had seen the boy briefly at Lavits' last party.. "I'm Nicolas." He said scooting over closer to the group.

"Mum's been asleep for about an hour now, but I don't know why my dad's not home. He said he was having a meeting up at the castle tonight." Lavits replied.

"That's strange, I saw Noish head off… There wasn't anyone around when I snuck out." Albert said back, arching his brow.

"Oh… Well maybe it was with someone else." Lavits said with a shrug.

"Yeah."

The four of them sat there for quite some time simply chatting. Many times Nicolas mentioned that he'd love to go and visit the castle some day. Albert decided to invite all three of them to his own birthday in a month. Kaiser and Lavits were both son's of accomplished Knights so they mainly wanted to speak to each other about the up and coming war. Albert who was more into the strategies and books mainly spoke to Nicolas who had been born in Mille Senseu. His father was a writer, and before they moved he had spent all his time in the library.

At some point Lavits had tip toed down the stairs to the kitchen and stolen away some of the pie which his mother had made for the birthday party. Finally the other two boys had snuggled into the beds on the floor and taken to sleeping. Albert watched them thoughtfully for a moment and then looked over at Lavits.

"Aren't they great?" He asked.

"Yeah." Albert replied nodding his head and stifling a yawn.

"I suppose you'd better be going back."

"More likely, I'll be missed if I do not return before dawn."

"Yeah, anyway common, I'll show ya out."

"Thanks." Albert murmured and followed Lavits out of the room. They crept down the stairs with as much grace as could be expected of people so young. And Lavits shoved a little bit of chocolate into Albert's hand. "I got a bunch for my birthday, thought you'd like some since you were here for it."

Albert grinned and tried a piece of it, nodding appreciatively like most adults would.

"It's most delicious."

Lavits just grinned back and pushed the door open, looking out into the night.

"You'll be okay right? Wont get caught?"

"Of course not."

"Good then." He grinned a final time at Albert, who nodded back to Lavits and quietly shut the door behind him. He breathed out a small sigh and then started moving back towards the castle. His feet slipped lazily across the ground. He wasn't watching closely where he walked at all. He saw no need as there wasn't more then the slight sound of birds chirping in the distance.

He walked up the steps to the castle and spotted a guard standing just within the doorway. The man was slumped against the wall, as if asleep. But it just didn't feel right…

There was a sound from high above. A body broke through the glass of one of the upper windows and something shroud in black crashed towards the stone floor outside the castle. Albert briefly noticed that it was his own window with the white curtains which had broken. The thing crashed upon the floor of the ground. It lay there motionless, and then rolled over. Blood was creeping around the side of the man's now visible face.

Dark black matted hair shook, the man started to rise. His eyes spotting Albert, he was hurrying off the ground reaching out. Albert found his feet backing up, they hit the solid and small wall behind him. He stopped. The man was stumbling and running towards him all at once.

Albert reached beside him trying to find something with which fight the man off. There was nothing there. The man was pulling out a knife, he was in the air leaping towards Albert. There was a moment when Albert was sure that the knife in the man's hand would be sinking home into his body. And then the man just stopped. He gripped his chest and screamed, shaking his head he tried to move about in convulsions, but failed and fell over.

A man with silver hair stood not far behind him and watched with slight interest. This new man lifted his hand and allowed fire to dance off of it to incinerate the fallen man body. Albert found himself paralyzed and only able to watch, just as it had been when his father died.

When he finally tore his eyes away from the burning corpse the silver hared man was gone.

The night however was no longer quite an peaceful, as the sounds of Knights with their clashing armor ran down from the castle to find Albert standing alone with the smoldering remains.

They spoke between themselves of how such a thing could happen.

Lavits' father took Albert by the hand and lead him back to one of the guest rooms, where he found himself being settled on the bed.

"I would have you sleep my lord." Requested the Knight. Albert could only nod dully as the images of death flashed about his mind.

His sleep till dawn which lay only an hour away became fitful, and filled with nightmares of his father lying burning before him.

And then just as horribly as the visions came they stopped, replaced only by a pair of eyes, neither gold nor brown, but brilliant none-the-less. In his mind Albert watched those eyes, and they calmed him till his found the nightmares gone and the hand of a sweet looking maid upon his shoulder. She smiled warmly and requested that he rise so that they Knights could explain the happenings of the night before.

Servi, Lavits' father, waited patiently for him in the main chamber. The man looked worried, but not horribly upset. As Albert entered his eyes flashed over towards him watching the boy with concern.

"My lord." He spoke plainly and bowed upon his knees.

Albert paused, and then finally remembered himself and replied. "You may rise."

"My lord, allow me to first make it known to you that I know of your stay at my home last night. I think it very fortunate that on this night of all nights you would choose to visit him, it has undoubtedly saved your life."

Albert nodded, feeling slightly ashamed that he had been discovered.

Servi paused for influence and then continued. "Last night an assassin crept into the castle killing a majority of the guards, we've lost eight men, and might yet loose two more. He happened to be fairly well skilled at stealth, had not a maid seen him enter your room no one would ever have been alerted to his presence. He came into your room and found you missing, and the maid managed to warn me. I fought the man with several other knights who the maid altered and we over came him. He, however feared capture and attempted a fatal maneuver while caused him to go falling from your window." Here again he paused. "However how his body came to be burned…"

"There was a man." Albert stated quickly remembering the silver hair a aristocratic looks of the man who'd sent fire leaping from his fingers. "He used magic, somehow, and created a fire which burned… the assassin." Albert looked away from Servi. He felt a sick sense of dread now for remembering the incident.

"What were this man's looks?" Inquired Servi.

"He had gray, silver hair… Sharp looks, black clothes…" Albert paused in thought. "I'm, afraid I remember little of him."

Servi looked upon the pained expression on his king's face and nodded. Noish from his side of the shook his head at Servi, intending that there would be no more questioning the boy on this matter till he was more recovered.

Servi left the room and headed down to where his closest friend lurked. "Greham?" The blond queried.

"What did you find out from our lord?" He asked moving out of the shadows to look at Servi.

"Only that a man with the post of magic is what set our assassin to flame. Apparently he had silver hair, and black clothes."

"An old man then?"

"Perhaps, I could not bring myself to ask anymore questions. Our poor lord has seen such death so young, and I fear to bring him back to how he was after his father's death."

Greham shook his head and looked away from Servi with a grim expression on his face.

The pair of them then started off as one to walk outside of the castle. The wondered down into town and about the city which they considered home. Nothing was spoken between them, but each shared a sense of understanding.

A young man with toned features and glaring red eyes looked at them as they passed by a small café. Beside him was a woman with similar red eyes and long silvery hair. She flicked a dagger back an forth between her fingers. And then turned back to her male companion.

"They most likely look for you." She stated.

"They would not recognize me, not even if they had seen me themselves."

"It is true. And considering they know nothing of magic there is no hope of their finding you here."

He stared after them and waited before slipping the hood off his head to reveal his longish silver hair. "Dole's assassin failed, Albert had snuck into the city to visit another younger boy, a son of a Knight."

"You're the one who burned him to a crisp right?"

"So why'd you decide to hunt down the assassin and ditch all though dragon hunting loons?"

"I found something a bit more worth my while, like you for example." He looked over at her, letting his eyes met her own. She fluttered her eyelashes and looked away somewhat seductively. " I feel sorry for the kid, he's only human."

She laughed at that statement and he joined in lightly. For a few moments more they sat in silence. She sipped down some of the expensive coffee from the Islands and he drank his water.

"Lloyd?" She asked after a second.

"Hmm?"

"Do you ever think of going home?"

"No." He answered directly, and they sat in silence again.

The two Knights wondered back by the café, neither of them noticed the silver hared woman stilling with a hooded man. But then again, neither of them happened to be the most attentive creatures on earth.

* * *

**AN:** Oh look at this! I updated, god what am I thinking.

Bet you went expecting this? Not really, but hey, I felt bored and wanted to write something, and this is always fun to play with.

Feel free to hit me for throwing in Lloyd, I love him so that I couldn't help it.

I think I will update more often on this now, after all, we all love Albert as well. And writing his teenage years look particularly promising.


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